Canada's Victoria Mboko upsets No. 1 seed Coco Gauff at National Bank Open
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Globe and Mail
11 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Canadian hockey brand pulls product line that faced criticism for demeaning women
A Canadian hockey brand has pulled controversial clothing from its online store after a line of T-shirts and hoodies it sold was criticized for demeaning women and girls as sex objects. HockeyBenders, a company that has become popular in rinks across the country and boasts a large following of kids and teenagers online, sold $35 T-shirts with the slogan 'Barduzz, Gettin Huzz,' which it has pulled. Loosely translated from locker-room slang, it means, 'Scoring goals, getting hoes.' A hoodie version, available in children's sizes, was also taken down after a Globe and Mail article that examined misogynistic attitudes within the game, particularly at the teenage levels. The company, which tours arenas and shopping malls around Canada, attracting crowds of cheering kids and interviewing groups of teens in clips posted to the internet, came under fire for slogans on its clothing and in marketing videos. Katherine Henderson, the CEO of Hockey Canada, recently called the shirts 'disgusting,' while Andrea DeKeseredy, a former sexual-assault counsellor who studies gender violence, said the slogans point to a broader problem of misogynistic attitudes in minor hockey that are not being questioned. HockeyBenders founder Cole Lequier, 25, could not be reached for comment about the company's decision to drop the products from its website. Ms. DeKeseredy called the removal of the clothing from the HockeyBenders retail website a start to addressing what she sees as a bigger problem. 'I think taking the shirt down is a great first step, and I give them credit for doing so. I am hopeful this is due to some deep reflection on the influence they have over children as opposed to a decision made solely to protect their business interests, especially in relation to the large retail stores across Canada that carry their clothing,' Ms. DeKeseredy said. She is alarmed that a brand producing T-shirts and videos with messages that degrade women grew popular at the same time the Hockey Canada scandal and its allegations of group sexual assault by former world junior players loomed over the game. Two weeks ago, five players − Michael McLeod, Carter Hart, Alex Formenton, Dillon Dubé and Cal Foote − were found not guilty of sexual assault. Mr. McLeod was also found not guilty of a second charge of being party to sexual assault. The National Hockey League called the behaviour of the players 'unacceptable,' despite the judge's decision. 'For many Canadians, regardless of the outcome of the trial, this has become an opportunity to think about the ways hockey culture shapes the kids who play it,' Ms. DeKeseredy said. 'That extends to HockeyBenders who have a huge platform that could be used to help create some positive changes as we move forward. I hope they continue to sincerely listen.' Ms. Henderson, named Hockey Canada CEO in 2023, wants to confront such attitudes in the game. Cathal Kelly: NHL delivers a lesson after the Hockey Canada verdict: Be nice, or else 'While Hockey Canada continues our efforts to address issues in hockey culture, any merchandise targeted towards young hockey participants that promotes negative messages about girls and women reminds us that we all still have significant work ahead of us,' Ms. Henderson said. Mr. Lequier started the business from his parents' home in Barrie, Ont., trademarking it in 2023. In a recent Instagram post, he said the company has sold more than 100,000 hoodies (including versions with innocuous slogans that don't mention women). The brand is in 150 retail stores, and has more than two million followers on social media. HockeyBenders responded to previous inquiries from The Globe with an unsigned e-mail that said the men behind the company believe the humour is all in good fun: 'The boys are two hardworking young hockey entrepreneurs and make videos for people to enjoy and laugh that's it. And like to keep everything they do positive. They like to stay in their own lane with their fans and followers!' the e-mail said, verbatim. On Instagram, Mr. Lequier described the void he believes HockeyBenders fills in the game. 'I felt like, growing up, there wasn't many hockey clothing brands that had relatable slogans and sayings for hockey players,' Mr. Lequier said. 'So, I saw a huge, huge gap in the market.' HockeyBenders regularly interviews teen hockey players in rink lobbies about the game, and often about women, and posts those clips to TikTok and other online platforms, which drive popularity and profit for the brand. They are asked their preferences in girls, and 'how many blondes' and 'how many puck bunnies' they connect with on social media. Here's everything you need to know about the Hockey Canada sexual-assault trial In one video, a player claiming 100 such girls was dubbed 'lover boy.' Another player, with just a few, was praised as a 'quality over quantity guy.' Mr. Lequier did not respond to questions about whether HockeyBenders obtains parental consent before interviewing young players and posting clips online. The criticism of the HockeyBenders clothing and videos echoes a similar controversy in the early 2000s, when a website known as the Junior Hockey Bible, laced with misogynistic language, went viral in Canada. It offered a lengthy glossary of hockey terms for women, calling them 'swamp donkeys' and 'puck sluts.' It advocated team group sex and players letting their teammates watch, adding, 'Many true team players will let their girlfriends be watched.' The site, which was a marketing venture designed to promote a hockey clothing brand known as Gongshow Gear, gave tips on 'tag-teaming your local puck bunny' and advice for those girls: 'You have a job to do in the bedroom, concentrate your efforts on that role.' When Gongshow's founders were confronted about the site in 2004, they took it down and issued a public apology. The Junior Hockey Bible has since been scrubbed from the internet. Reached by The Globe recently, Gongshow Gear declined to comment.
CTV News
11 minutes ago
- CTV News
Saskatoon Berries set WCBL regular season wins record with extra inning grand slam walk-off of Mavericks
Saskatoon Berries' infielder Abium Medina takes an at bat against the Regina Red Sox on Thursday July 31. The Saskatoon Berries have etched their name in Western Canadian Baseball League (WCBL) history, winning their 45th game - the most by a team in a single regular season. The Berries defeated the Medicine Hat Mavericks Sunday afternoon 14-10 in extra innings. In the bottom of the 10th, third baseman Mason Roel hit a walk-off grand slam, claiming Saskatoon's 45th win of the 2025 summer league season. The win surpasses the previous league record, set by the Sylvan Lake Gulls last year at 44. Already having locked in the number one seed in the East Division, the Berries also guaranteed themselves the best record in the WCBL for the regular season, earning them home field advantage for the entirety of the 2025 playoffs. Saskatoon will host the Moose Jaw Miller Express in games one and three in the best-of-3 first round series. The 2025 WCBL postseason gets underway Aug. 6.
Globe and Mail
11 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Swiatek upset at NBO; Keys, Osaka, Tauson advance to quarterfinals
Iga Swiatek's National Bank Open has come to an end in the fourth round. The world's third-ranked player and reigning Wimbledon champion fell in straight sets 7-6 (1), 6-3 to Denmark's Clara Tauson on a cool and windy Sunday night at Montreal's IGA Stadium. Swiatek, who had lost just eight combined games through her opening two matches of the tournament, was eliminated one night after top seed Coco Gauff's premature exit to Canadian Victoria Mboko, also in the fourth round. After her upset win over Gauff, Mboko is the headliner in Montreal NBO It was Tauson's first win in four career meetings with Swiatek. The Poland tennis star most notably beat her in the fourth round at Wimbledon last month on her way to the championship. Tauson, the world No. 19 and 16th seed in Montreal, has yet to drop a set in the tournament. She converted on three of her five break point opportunities, while saving seven of the nine break points she faced. She advances to the quarterfinals of a WTA 1000 tournament for just the second time in her career. The Dane made it to the finals of this year's Dubai Tennis Championships, losing to Mirra Andreeva in straight sets. Swiatek was broken early in the first set, but managed to get the break back to force a first-set tiebreak. Tauson took advantage of a powering serve and repeated unforced errors from Swiatek to dominate the tiebreak 7-1. A visibly frustrated Swiatek stopped to speak with her coach on her way off to the locker room following that first set. Her frustration was not quelled upon her return for the second set. Swiatek was broken in the fourth game of the set to fall behind 3-1. The six-time Grand Slam champion would break back in the seventh game, but immediately coughed the break up the following game on a double fault. Tauson held serve at 5-3 to secure the win and her spot in the quarterfinals. Tauson will next play American Madison Keys on Tuesday. The sixth-seed rebounded from a one-set deficit to beat Czechia's Karolina Muchova 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 earlier Sunday. 'Clara's a fantastic ball striker,' said Keys. 'She's got a big serve. She's got a lot of power on both sides. 'She covers the court quite well on top of everything, so I feel like she's one of those matches where you kind of have to temper a little bit and not go for things too quickly.' Keys, a runner-up at the 2016 tournament in Montreal, matched Ana Ivanovic for the longest gap between quarterfinal appearances at the event in the Open Era. Keys had not made it past the second round in Canada since losing to Simona Halep in that final nine years ago. The win also gave Keys her 75th career win against a player ranked inside the top 20 of the WTA rankings. After squandering a breakpoint opportunity of her own in just the second game of the match, Keys was broken at love the following game to fall behind 2-1. While breaks of serve were exchanged in the sixth and seventh games, that early break proved to be just enough for Muchova to take the opening set 6-4. Keys bounced back in the second set. The 2025 Australian Open champion took advantage of an untimely double fault by Muchova, her first of the match, to break the Czech's service and pull ahead 3-1. Keys ultimately forced a decider, sealing the second set with a 172 km/h ace. Despite opening the third and final set with a break of serve, there was plenty of adversity for Keys. After being broken back in the fourth game, Keys was forced to fend off a pair of match points in the 10th game. This galvanized Keys, who broke the following game on her way to the win. Japan's Naomi Osaka cruised to a 6-1, 6-0 victory in just 49 minutes over Latvia's Anastasija Sevastova to also advance to the quarterfinals. 'I'm definitely really happy,' said Osaka. 'Today was obviously faster than I thought it would be, but I'm really happy with how the game plan went. I'm excited to play my next match.' Osaka hit five aces, committed no double faults and was a perfect five-for-five on her break point opportunities. She is the first Japanese player in the Open Era to reach multiple quarterfinals at the tournament, also in 2019. The former world No. 1 and four-time Grand Slam champion has been steadily working her way backup the rankings after missing the entire 2023 season while on maternity leave. Osaka, currently ranked 49th in the world, is expected to jump at least 15 more spots with the win. 'I talked to my dad and he said just being healthy and happy is a form of success,' said Osaka. 'I agree with that, but I want more. 'Of course, I would want to win Slams, I would want to be in top 10, but I think I need to pace myself and go for the mini goals. Eventually, they'll turn into the big goals.' Osaka will face the winner of Sunday night's matchup between 2025 Wimbledon finalist and fifth seed Amanda Anisimova and Ukraine's Elina Svitolina, the tournament's 10th seed. The National Bank Open continues until Thursday.
